WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of the Interior has announced additional Biden-Harris administration appointees who will work to advance President Biden’s agenda to tackle climate change, create good-paying union jobs in a clean energy economy, steward America’s public lands and waters, and honor relationships and trust responsibilities with Indigenous communities.
“We are excited to welcome these accomplished leaders who bring a diverse set of experiences and skills that will help deliver on President Biden’s agenda,” said Chief of Staff Lawrence Roberts. “These leaders will play a key part in achieving Interior’s mission and delivering results for the American people.”
Interior’s political team proudly reflects the diversity of America, with more than 60 percent identifying as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous or people of color) and 70 percent as women.
The appointees are listed below (in alphabetical order):
- Jordan Chatman, Senior Advance Representative
- Sarah Greenberger, Associate Deputy Secretary
- Rebecca Kasper, Advisor in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
- Keone Nakoa, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs
- Summer Sylva, Senior Advisor for Native Hawaiian Affairs
Jordan Chatman, Senior Advance Representative
Jordan Chatman most recently worked for Patagonia as a communications and public relations associate. Prior to that role, Chatman served as an advance lead for the 59th Presidential Inauguration, Governor Gavin Newsom, Jon Ossoff for Senate, Jamie Harrison for Senate, and Bloomberg 2020. He began his career as an intern with the National Park Service and Interior’s Office of the Secretary through the Greening Youth Foundation’s HBCU internship program, which introduces diverse youth and young adults to careers in conservation.
Sarah Greenberger, Associate Deputy Secretary
Sarah Greenberger most recently served as the senior Vice President for Conservation Policy at the National Audubon Society. Greenberger joined Audubon after serving at Interior for five years, driving strategy and policy for the Department as a counselor and senior advisor to Secretaries Ken Salazar and Sally Jewell. She has also served as legislative counsel to Senator Ben Cardin and was a clerk to Judge David S. Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Rebecca Kasper, Advisor in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs
Rebecca Kasper joins Interior with more than a decade of political experience and a commitment to sustainability and fighting climate change. Most recently, Kasper served in finance roles for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and Biden for President, where she spearheaded the Climate Finance Voter Council. Previously, she served in a variety of roles for Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Senator Jon Tester, Senator Ed Markey, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Keone Nakoa, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs
Keone Nakoa joins Interior from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs where he worked with Congress and federal agencies as the Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief. Nakoa previously served as speechwriter for the late Senator Daniel Akaka, clerk for the Chief Judge of the Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals and as a lawyer at a private firm in Honolulu. Born and raised in Honolulu, HI, he is part Native Hawaiian and lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Stephanie.
Summer Sylva, Senior Advisor for Native Hawaiian Affairs
Summer Lee Haunani Sylva is a Native Hawaiian attorney from Waimānalo, Oʻahu who most recently served as the Executive Director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation (NHLC). Sylva joins Interior with more than a decade of experience litigating before federal and state courts in Hawaiʻi, New York and New Jersey. During her tenure at NHLC, she led litigation efforts on Native Hawaiian rights issues, including water rights, state and federal government entitlement programs, public trust and historic native land claims.